This invention relates to a boat cover, and more specifically to a rigid, aerodynamically contoured high security bass fishing boat cover with a front-end cantelevered lifting mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,884 discloses a trailer, boat, and boat cover combination typical in the field. However, the cover of portion of U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,884 extends only over the open portion of the interior of the boat and further contacts the exterior surface of the boat. Further, such covers of this type are easily removed because they are generally lightweight and attached to the boat by simple clasps.
Another attempt to cover a vehicle is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,721,467. In the disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 3,721,467 a snowmobile, mountable on a trailer, is provided with a fabricated two-piece cover unit having the front portion of the cover inclined upwardly to decrease resistance and to accommodate the windshield of the snowmobile.
Other covers are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,486,786; 2,669,480; 2,881,023; and 2,847,136.
None of the existing boat covers provide the combination of a high degree of security for property contained within a boat interior without contacting the exterior surface of the boat, the ease and safety of cover removal, and the aerodynamic contoured structure of the present invention.
The present invention is a combination boat storage and transportation trailer having a unitary, aerodynamically contoured cover which does not physically contact the exterior surface of the boat. Existing covers generally contact the boat exterior at least at one point. During transportation of a boat from one location to another, simple vibrations cause slight movements of the cover resulting in rubbing of the cover on the boat's exterior surface and damage to the boat's surface finish. Some have attempted to solve this problem by the installation of a buffer or pad along the contact points, but still unsightly scuffing of the finish occurs. Because the present cover is supported a slight distance away from the boat's exterior surface while still providing a high degree of security to property in the interior of the boat, the present invention is a significant improvement over the prior art.
Further, the cantelever lifting action of the present invention allows a boat to be drawn onto and off of the trailer without any obstruction. Once the boat is off of the trailer, the cover remains on the trailer for ease in removal from the docking site. The use of powerful hydraulic lifting cylinders enables the cover to be of rigid unitary construction and still movable by a single operator using a highly securable, self-contained activation device.
All of the aforementioned and further disclosed advantages make the present apparatus a distinguishable invention over any known prior art.